Electroconvulsive therapy

Definition

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is a very effective and generally safe treatment for depression and some other health conditions that uses electricity to trigger a seizure.

Alternative Names

Shock treatment; Shock therapy; ECT

Description

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is most often done in a hospital while you are asleep and pain-free (general anesthesia).

You will receive medicine to relax you (muscle relaxant), put you briefly to sleep, and prevent you from feeling pain (short-acting anesthetic).

A small amount of electric current will then be delivered to your head to cause seizure activity in the brain. It lasts for about 40 seconds. You will receive medicine to prevent the seizure from spreading throughout your body. As a result, there will be only slight movement of your hands or feet during the procedure.

ECT is usually given once every 2- 5 days for a total of 6 - 12 sessions, but sometimes more sessions are needed.

You will wake several minutes after ECT and will not remember the treatment. A health care team will monitor you closely after the procedure.

Why the Procedure Is Performed

ECT is a highly effective treatment for depression, most commonly severe depression. It can be especially helpful for treating depression in patients who:

Are having delusions or other psychotic symptoms with their depression

Are pregnant and severely depressed

Are suicidal

Cannot take antidepressant drugs

Have not responded fully to antidepressant drugs

Less often, ECT is used for conditions such as mania, catatonia, and psychosis that do not improve enough with other treatments.

Risks

ECT has received bad press, in part because of its potential for causing memory problems. Since ECT was introduced in the 1930s, the dose of electricity used in the procedure has been decreased significantly. This has greatly reduced the side effects of this procedure, including the side effect of memory loss.